Parking gear assembly for an all terrain vehicle

Abstract

An all terrain vehicle includes an engine located under a hingably mounted seat, the seat providing ready access to the engine for maintenance and repair. The vehicle includes an engine having a clutch housing and a clutch cover sealably connected to the clutch housing. At least one of the clutch housing and the clutch cover include a bottom wall having at least one coolant-fillable cooling channel within the thickness of the bottom wall provided to cool oil above the clutch housing and the clutch cover. The vehicle also includes a frame having a plurality of engine mounting points. The engine is supportable by the frame and includes a crankcase and a plurality of mounting points adapted to engage the plurality of engine mounting points on the frame. The plurality of mounting points include at least one uppermost mounting point, wherein the at least one uppermost mounting point is positioned on the crankcase.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A straddle-type vehicle comprising: 
       a frame supporting front and rear wheels;  
       a seat supported above the frame;  
       an engine having a transmission including gears, the engine being supported by the frame below the seat; and  
       a parking gear assembly that is selectively displaceable to selectively engage one of the gears associated with at least one output shaft of the transmission coupled to transmit power to at least one of the front and rear wheels, to prevent the gear and the at least one output shaft from rotating, wherein the parking gear assembly comprises a park lever having a toothed segment, the toothed segment engaging one of the gears to prevent movement of the gear, the park lever being biased to a disengaged position in which the toothed segment is disengaged from one of the gears, the park lever being movable to an engaged position against the biasing thereof in which the toothed segment is engaged with one of the gears, the parking gear assembly further comprising an actuating lever that is movable between (a) an activated position wherein the actuating lever forces the park lever to the engaged position, and (b) a deactivated position wherein the actuating lever allows the park lever to move to the disengaged position, and the actuating lever comprises a recessed portion, the park lever being positioned within the recessed portion when in the disengaged position.  
     
     
       2. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one output shaft projects from both sides of the transmission. 
     
     
       3. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 2  wherein the at least one output shaft includes a front output shaft and a rear output shaft, the parking gear assembly engaging one of the gears associated with the rear output shaft. 
     
     
       4. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 1  wherein the straddle-type vehicle is an all terrain vehicle. 
     
     
       5. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 4 , wherein the all terrain vehicle includes front fenders positioned above the front wheels and rear fenders positioned above the rear wheels. 
     
     
       6. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 4 , wherein the all terrain vehicle includes two foot rests, each extending from opposed sides of the frame to support a rider's foot. 
     
     
       7. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 4 , wherein the all terrain vehicle includes a steering member having handle bars, the steering member connected to a steering mechanism for steering the front wheels. 
     
     
       8. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 4 , wherein the all terrain vehicle includes a straddle-type seat. 
     
     
       9. A straddle-type vehicle comprising: 
       a frame supporting front and rear wheels;  
       a seat supported above the frame;  
       an engine having a transmission including gears, the engine being supported by the frame below the seat; and  
       a parking gear assembly that is selectively displaceable to selectively engage one of the gears associated with at least one output shaft of the transmission coupled to transmit power to at least one of the front and rear wheels, to prevent the gear and the at least one output shaft from rotating, wherein the parking gear assembly comprises a park lever having a toothed segment, the toothed segment engaging one of the gears to prevent movement of the gear, the park lever being biased to a disengaged position in which the toothed segment is disengaged from one of the gears, the park lever being movable to an engaged position against the biasing thereof in which the toothed segment is engaged with one of the gears, the parking gear assembly further comprising an actuating lever that is movable between (a) an activated position wherein the actuating lever forces the nark lever to the engaged position, and (b) a deactivated position wherein the actuating lever allows the park lever to move to the disengaged position, and the actuating lever is movable towards the activated position while the toothed segment of the park lever is not engaged with one of the gears, the actuating lever being movable into the activated position while one of the gears rotates thereby allowing the toothed segment of the park lever to move into the engaged position in which the toothed segment is engaged with one of the gears.  
     
     
       10. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one output shaft projects from both sides of the transmission. 
     
     
       11. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one output shaft comprises a front output shaft and a rear output shaft, the parking gear assembly engaging one of the gears associated with the rear output shaft. 
     
     
       12. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 9 , wherein the straddle-type vehicle is an all terrain vehicle. 
     
     
       13. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 12 , wherein the all terrain vehicle comprises front fenders positioned above the front wheels and rear fenders positioned above the rear wheels. 
     
     
       14. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 12 , wherein the all terrain vehicle comprises two foot rests, each extending from opposed sides of the frame to support a rider's foot. 
     
     
       15. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 12 , wherein the all terrain vehicle comprises a steering member having handle bars, the steering member connected to a steering mechanism for steering the front wheels. 
     
     
       16. The straddle-type vehicle according to  claim 12 , wherein the all terrain vehicle comprises a straddle-type seat. 
     
     
       17. A parking assembly, for an engine having a transmission including gears, comprising: 
       a gear associated with at least one output shaft of the transmission coupled to transmit power to at least one of the front and rear wheels; and  
       a parking gear assembly comprising a park lever having a toothed segment, the park lever selectively moveable between (a) a first position in which the toothed segment thereof is disengaged from the gear, and (b) a second position in which the toothed segment thereof is engaged with the gear to prevent the gear and the at least one output shaft from rotating, and an actuating lever that is movable between (a) an activated position wherein the actuating lever forces the park lever to the engaged position, and (b) a deactivated position wherein the actuating lever allows the park lever to move to the disengaged position, wherein the park lever is biased to a disengaged position in which the toothed segment is disengaged from the gear, the park lever is movable to an engaged position against the biasing thereof in which the toothed segment is engaged with the gear, and the actuating lever comprises a recessed portion, the park lever being positioned within the recessed portion when in the disengaged position.  
     
     
       18. A parking assembly, for an engine having a transmission including gears, comprising: 
       a gear associated with at least one output shaft of the transmission coupled to transmit power to at least one of the front and rear wheels; and  
       a parking gear assembly comprising a park lever having a toothed segment, the park lever selectively moveable between (a) a first position in which the toothed segment thereof is disengaged from the gear, and (b) a second position in which the toothed segment thereof is engaged with the gear to prevent the gear and the at least one output shaft from rotating, and an actuating lever that is movable between (a) an activated position wherein the actuating lever forces the park lever to the engaged position, and (b) a deactivated position wherein the actuating lever allows the park lever to move to the disengaged position, wherein the park lever is biased to a disengaged position in which the toothed segment is disengaged from the gear, the park lever being movable to an engaged position against the biasing thereof in which the toothed segment is engaged with the gear, the actuating lever is biased to the activated position, the actuating lever being movable to the deactivated position against the biasing thereof, and the actuating lever is movable towards the activated position while the toothed segment of the park lever is not engaged with the gear, the actuating lever being biased into the activated position whereby the toothed segment of the park lever reaches the engaged position in which the toothed segment is engaged with the gear.  
     
     
       19. A straddle-type vehicle comprising: 
       a frame supporting front and rear wheels;  
       a seat supported above the frame;  
       an engine having a transmission including gears, the engine being supported by the frame below the seat; and  
       a parking gear assembly that is selectively displaceable to selectively engage one of the gears to prevent the gear from rotating, wherein the parking gear assembly comprises a park lever having a toothed segment, the toothed segment engaging one of the gears to prevent movement of the gear, wherein the park lever is biased to a disengaged position in which the toothed segment is disengaged from one of the gears, the park lever being movable to an engaged position against the biasing thereof in which the toothed segment is engaged with one of the gears and an actuating lever that is movable between (a) an activated position wherein the actuating lever forces the park lever to the engaged position, and (b) a deactivated position wherein the actuating lever allows the park lever to move to the disengaged position, wherein the actuating lever comprises a recessed portion, the park lever being positioned within the recessed portion when in the disengaged position.  
     
     
       20. A straddle-type vehicle comprising: 
       a frame supporting front and rear wheels;  
       a seat supported above the frame;  
       an engine having a transmission including gears, the engine being supported by the frame below the seat; and  
       a parking gear assembly that is selectively displaceable to selectively engage one of the gears to prevent the gear from rotating, wherein the parking gear assembly comprises a park lever having a toothed segment, the toothed segment engaging one of the gears to prevent movement of the gear, wherein the park lever is biased to a disengaged position in which the toothed segment is disengaged from one of the gears, the park lever being movable to an engaged position against the biasing thereof in which the toothed segment is engaged with one of the gears and an actuating lever that is movable between (a) an activated position wherein the actuating lever forces the park lever to the engaged position, and (b) a deactivated position wherein the actuating lever allows the park lever to move to the disengaged position, wherein the actuating lever is biased to the activated position, the actuating lever being movable to the deactivated position against the biasing thereof and the actuating lever is movable towards the activated position while the toothed segment of the park lever is not engaged with one of the gears, the actuating lever being movable into the activated position while one of the gears rotates thereby allowing the toothed segment of the park lever to move into the engaged position in which the toothed segment is engaged with one of the gears.  
     
     
       21. A parking assembly for an engine comprising: 
       a gear associated with an output shaft of the engine; and  
       a parking gear assembly comprising a park lever having a toothed segment, the park lever selectively moveable between (a) a first position in which the toothed segment thereof is disengaged from the gear, and (b) a second position in which the toothed segment thereof is engaged with the gear to prevent the gear from rotating, and an actuating lever that is movable between (a) an activated position wherein the actuating lever forces the park lever to the engaged position, and (b) a deactivated position wherein the actuating lever allows the park lever to move to the disengaged position, wherein the park lever is biased to a disengaged position in which the toothed segment is disengaged from the gear, the park lever being movable to an engaged position against the biasing thereof in which the toothed segment is engaged with the gear, and the actuating lever includes a recessed portion, the park lever being positioned within the recessed portion when in the disengaged position.  
     
     
       22. A parking assembly for an engine comprising: 
       a gear associated with an output shaft of the engine; and  
       a parking gear assembly comprising a park lever having a toothed segment, the park lever selectively moveable between (a) a first position in which the toothed segment thereof is disengaged from the gear, and (b) a second position in which the toothed segment thereof is engaged with the gear to prevent the gear from rotating, and an actuating lever that is movable between (a) an activated position wherein the actuating lever forces the park lever to the engaged position, and (b) a deactivated position wherein the actuating lever allows the park lever to move to the disengaged position, wherein the park lever is biased to a disengaged position in which the toothed segment is disengaged from the gear, the park lever being movable to an engaged position against the biasing thereof in which the toothed segment is engaged with the gear, and the actuating lever is biased to the activated position, the actuating lever being movable to the deactivated position against the biasing thereof, wherein the actuating lever is movable towards the activated position while the toothed segment of the park lever is not engaged with the gear, the actuating lever being biased into the activated position whereby the toothed segment of the park lever reaches the engaged position in which the toothed segment is engaged with the gear.